Rockers Homer Honey Hunters into Submission

GASTONIA, N.C. – The High Point Rockers set a club record by hitting seven home runs in Sunday’s 13-4 win over Gastonia at Caromont Health Park. Quincy Latimore blasted two home runs to become High Point’s career leader in home runs while Zander Wiel’s home run tied the season home run mark.

The Rockers started off quickly, plating three runs in the first and building a 4-0 lead after two innings. With one out in the first, Ben Aklinski doubled and Jerry Downs walked before Latimore hit his 16th homer of the year to give the Rockers a 3-0 lead. That homer was the 43rd of Latimore’s career and pushed him past the career mark of 42 set by Stephen Cardullo during his two-year tenure of 2019 and 2021.

In the second, Michael Martinez reached on a throwing error by Gastonia shortstop Jack Reinheimer and moved to third on a ground out by Jay Gonzalez. Giovanny Alfonzo then singled to center to score Martinez with High Point’s fourth run.

Latimore’s solo homer leading off the fourth was his 17th of the season and 44th of his career.  High Point then tied a club record with three homers in the fifth inning. Michael Russell, Downs and Wiel all hit solo shots to put the Rockers up 8-0.

Gastonia scored three in the fifth on a three-run homer by Jack Reinheimer and one in the sixth on a Zach Jarrett homer.

Martinez’s solo homer in the sixth stretched the High Point lead to 9-3. In the seventh, Roldani Baldwin singled home a run and Wiel scored on a balk by Gastonia pitcher Reilly Hovis. Downs’ solo homer in the eighth was the 20th of his career and the seventh of the game for High Point as the lead grew to 13-4.

Liam O’Sullivan improved to 3-4 on the year by throwing 5.2 innings and allowing six hits and four runs while walking two and striking out two. Gastonia starter Ian McKinney (L, 5-3) allowed seven hits and eight runs in his seven innings while striking out eight.

High Point now stands at 57-51 on the season and 18-24 in the second half of the Atlantic League season.

The Rockers will have Monday off and then start a six-game homestand. High Point will host Lexington on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. at Truist Point.

NOTES: While Latimore broke Cardullo’s mark for career home runs and now has 44 in his career, Downs is close behind, hitting his 41st and 42nd of his career on Sunday… Rockers tied club mark for consecutive innings with a home run as they hit blasts in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.